No sale for signed Beatles item at NYC auction

NEW YORK (AP) — A large piece of stage backdrop signed by the Beatles during their first live U.S. concert 50 years ago has failed to sell at a New York City auction.

Heritage Auctions spokesman Noah Fleisher said Saturday that the Dallas-based company will now try to privately broker the $800,000, 4-foot-by-2-foot plastic wall section the Fab Four autographed on Feb. 9, 1964.

Other memorabilia items from the Beatles' historic appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" were bought by a high-end collector who asked not to be named.

Those included a signed "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" original fan club poster for $59,375 and a "Beatles Meet the Beatles!" signed stereo LP for $56,250.

Autographs from the Beatles, Ed Sullivan and Brian Epstein from the 1964 performance sold for $125,000.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The death of actor Leonard Nimoy last week has inspired people to post photos on social media of marked-up five-dollar Canadian banknotes that show former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier transformed to resemble Spock, Nimoy's famous "Star Trek" character. Full Story